Category Archives: Star Speedway

The Nocella Paving 100 at the 53rd annual Star Classic at Star Speedway in Epping, NH was an event that will be remembered for quite some time. 15 years young from Candia, NH local favorite Jimmy Renfrew Jr won his first pro stock race at his beloved home track. The ride into victory lane wasn’t without peril though, as on lap 30, Renfrew took a ride deep into the turn two woods and had to be assisted back to the racing surface by speedway services. “I thought it was over from there” Renfrew said. “I worked my way back up into the top five and under caution with 20 to go, I believed we might have a shot.” Soon after taking the checkered flag, Renfrew drove into victory lane and was swamped immediately by family, friends, and loyal fans.

Second for the second year in a row, John Peters of Westbrook, ME said “It’s bittersweet”. Quickest in time trials earlier in the day and starting third Peters was set for a comeback after heartbreak a few weeks ago at the Oxford 250. “I was in a great position with 35 to go but, the car was super tight on the bottom and I feel if I just had one good corner I could have set sail.”

Two third place finishes in a row may not be the ultimate result Luke Hinkley of Claremont, NH desired but with a new car this year Hinkley can hold his head high. “We just finished it last week before Claremont, we do everything ourselves and we are happy with it.” Hinkley said. “It’s me and a bunch of my best buddies going back 10 years to my super street days and I do it all for them.

Current points leader Cory Casagrande of Stafford Springs, CT finished fourth. Casagrande has an average finishing position this season of fifth place, an impressive feat never finishing worse then 8th after 8 events. Grinding out a top five finish Ray Christian III of Groton, CT had a night that went round and round. Leading laps, battling in the top five, the #93ct got caught up in an altercation which put Christian further back in the field pushing back the teams hopes of their first pro stock victory to yet another day. Christian will have that opportunity at the next race this coming Saturday, September 15th at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester NH.

Official Nocella Paving 100 results:

#00 Jimmy Renfrew Jr

#51p John Peters

#31nh Luke Hinkley

#7 Cory Casagrande

#93ct Ray Christian III

#05 Jacob Dore

#03 Joe Squeglia

#09 Jeremy Davis

#43 Devin O’Connell

#21 Josh King

#12 Bobby Pelland

#70 Bobby Cabral

#18 Mike Scorzelli

#73 Joey Doiron

#51nh Jeremy Harclerode

#16 Barry Gray

#72c Guy Caron

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Epping, NH (July 29, 2018): It was a day late but worth the wait for Swanzey’s Todd Patnode, who claimed the top Tri-Track Open Modified Series (TTOMS) honors in the seventh running of the SBM 125 on Sunday, July 29, 2018 at Star. The event was a holdover from the evening prior when heavy and prolonged rains forced the postponement. Under sunny skies on Sunday, Patnode held off Ron Silk of Norwalk, CT, and Matt Hirschman from Northampton, PA, to score the victory. Both Les Hinckley of Windsor Locks, CT, and Tommy Barrett of Millis, MA, turned up-and-down days into top-five finishes.

TTOM SBM 125 winner Todd Patnode July 29th 2018 Tom Morris Photo

By virtue of their heat race wins on Saturday night, Richard Savary of Canton, MA, and Russ Hersey, also of Swanzey, NH, brought the field to green for the start of the 125-lapper for the Modifieds. Savary immediately jumped out to a strong lead with Hersey falling back on the outside groove. Savary led Brian Robie of Sunapee, NH, in second followed by Andy Seuss of Salisbury, NC, Chase Dowling of Roxbury, CT, and a fast-moving Hinckley.

Dowling, who had fallen back slightly on the start had regained momentum and was getting racy with Seuss for third. Silk, too, looked to join the action inside the top-five. All the progress that Hinckley had made was erased after contact with Silk sent him spinning to bring out the event’s first caution on lap 9. Silk was relegated to the tail of the field for his involvement.

During the caution, Seuss headed to pit road. Kirk Alexander, also of W. Swanzey, who was struggling in the early going, also went pitside. On the restart, Savary continued to lead Robie, Dowling, Matt Galko of Meriden, CT and Hersey. Back under green, Dowling made quick work of Robie and set his sights on the leader Savary. A single lap later, Dowling was the new leader. Shortly after relinquishing the lead, Savary dropped off the pace. He would retire from the event on lap 14.

Pitkat was also on the move passing Robie for position; taking Matt Galko along for the ride. Dowling now led Pitkat, Galko, Robie, Hersey and Carl Medeiros of Westport, MA. Hirschman had gotten shuffled back in the early going and remained outside of the top-ten in the running order.

Dowling and Pitkat had a two-car breakaway, as the top-ten began to get strung out. The battles however were heating up deeper in the pack with Barrett making his way through the field with Sammy Rameau in tow. Both Hinckley and Silk were making their way back toward the top-ten. Hirschman remained mired in the field.

Hersey spun from fifth position on lap 32 to bring out the caution. On the restart, Galko made a bid for second over Pitkat but had to settled into third. Robie began to back slide; losing positions to Medeiros and Patnode. Silk had worked his way back to seventh position followed by Barrett, and Hinckley.

The top two cars of Dowling and Pitkat edged ahead of a strong battle for third that included Galko, Medeiros and Patnode. Silk, now in sixth, took chase. Medeiros was looking low on Galko with Patnode right on his back bumper. Robie had caught back up to the battle from third on back.

By lap 50, Medeiros got the spot from Galko. Patnode and Silk followed suit. Patnode got a run on Medeiros on lap 52 to take the spot away. Both Medeiros and Galko began to falter. Dowling and Pitkat now had company at the head of the field in Patnode and Silk, who ran nose-to-tail.

The third caution flew on lap 57 for a spin by Mark Bakaj of Lebanon, CT. Under the caution, a long line of cars headed to pit road for service. The only cars remaining on the speedway were Dowling, Silk, Hirschman, George Sherman of Framingham, MA, and non-lead lap car Chris Bolton.

On the restart on lap 57, Hirschman, with track position after the caution, made a bold move on the bottom from third in a bid to take not only second but also the lead from Silk and Dowling respectively. The effort was for naught as the caution flew once again on lap 57 to negate the pass. Cars involved included Scott Adams of Berwick, PA, Calvin Carroll of Johnsonburg, NJ, and Alexander.

Silk stayed up alongside Dowling on the ensuing restart; however, Dowling was able to retain the lead. Using the inside grove, Hirschman was able to get by Silk to take second. Silk fell to fourth behind PItkat when thing settled down. Not content, Silk was able to grab take back the position a single lap later. Silk immediately caught the back bumper of second-running Hirschman.

Contact between Bakaj and Les Rose of Southbridge, MA, necessitated a fifth caution. On the lap 65 restart Hirschman looked stout on the outside groove staying alongside Dowling for the duration of two laps. He was finally able to clear Dowling to take the top spot on lap 68. Silk looked low on Dowling over successive laps; finally edging ahead and into second on lap 72. Medeiros was having a strong run in fourth following by Pitkat in the top five. Hinkley was making a strong recovery; having worked his way back to sixth. Silk dogged Hirschman but despite efforts could not make a move. The running order remained Hirschman, Silk, Dowling, Pitkat, Medeiros and Hinckley.

Contact between Hinckley and Medeiros ended with Medeiros spinning on lap 81 and the caution waving. Hinckley was penalized for over-aggressive driving and sent to the rear. Under yellow, Hirschman, Silk and Dowling headed to pit road for tires. The ensuing restart now found Pitkat, Galko, Alexander, Patnode and Robie inside the top-five.

Pitkat easily got the advantage over Galko on the restart. But a slide through the infield by Alexander brought out the seventh caution on lap 82. This also moved Ron Frees of Brick Township, NJ, inside the top-five. On lap 82, Pitkat got the edge while Galko was able to tuck in behind Pitkat for second. His station did not last long as Patnode was on the move. He claimed second from Galko. He quickly caught Pitkat. Patnode got up alongside the leader Pitkat on lap 87 in turn two and was the new leader by turn four.

Hinckley had recovered nicely to run in fourth. Hirschman was already back to fifth with fresher tires. Silk was sixth. Dowling ran in eighth. On lap 93, Hinckley got by Galko and into third. With the top-three just ahead, the best battle on the field was for fourth with Galko holding the position with furious pressure from Hirschman and Silk. Both were able to get by on lap 98.

Before the caution flew on lap 99, Patnode had a few car lengths advantage over Pitkat, Hinckley, Hirschman, Silk, Galko and now Barrett. The eighth caution waved for a spin by Medeiros. On the restart Patnode held the top spot. Pitkat lost second to Hinckley. Stuck on the outside, Pitkat continued to fall back; losing positions to Silk, Hirschman, Barrett and Dowling.

As the laps began to wind down, the top-five jockeyed for position behind leader Patnode. Silk looked low on Hinckley for second but settled back in line in third. Hirschman stalked in fourth with Barrett and Dowling within striking distance.

Again with 15 laps to go, Silk began to work the bottom side; looking low on Hinckley. This time Silk was able to get alongside; finally taking over second on lap 113. Hirschman was able to use a similar move to relegate Hinckley back to fourth.

Silk had 10 laps to get Patnode, who held a couple of car lengths over Silk. Hirschman was a single car length back. Patnode entered lapped traffic with five to go. Silk bobbled giving Patnode some additional breathing room and allowing Hirschman to gain ground. With two laps to go, Patnode was able to extend his lead. Patnode cruised under the checkers to score the popular win and pocket $6,000. Silk had to settle for second over Hirschman. After an eventful day, Hinckley came home fourth over Barrett. Early leader Dowling had to settle for a sixth-place finish. Pitkat, Galko, Frees, and Robie completed the top ten.

On Saturday night during the rain delay two specialty awards were presented. Norm Perry of Ashaway, RI, owner of the #76 driven by Matt Galko, received the Chuck Montville Car Owner award and a check for $1,060. Andy Seuss accepted the first Bob Webber, Sr. Memorial Sportsmanship Award on behalf of his entire team in an emotional presentation by the Webber Family.

Seekonk, Mass. (July 26, 2018): Only two drivers have ever won the SBM 125 at Star Speedway; but no less than a dozen have a realistic shot at winning the race on Saturday night when the Tri-Track Open Modified Series (TTOMS) takes to the track. Matt Hirschman of Northampton, PA, and Jon McKennedy of Chelmsford, MA, have had a stronghold on SBM victory lane. But with only Matt Hirschman returning this year the field is wide open.

With $6,000 going to the winner and a roster of 30 plus cars, the 125 lap event for the ground-pounding Modifieds should be one of the most hotly contested on record.

Ron Silk of Norwalk, CT, the most recent winner in the TTOMS series, has strong odds to repeat at Star this weekend. While winless in TTOMS competition, Russ Hersey of Swanzey, NH, has had some impressive runs recently and is clearly knocking on the door of victory lane.

The racy quarter-mile has been good to Les Hinckley over the years. Hinckley has posted three runner-up finishes in this race over the last four years. A win could be in the making for the Windsor Locks, CT, driver. Josh Cantara of Saco, ME, has posted three podium finishers in the SBM; making Star Speedway his best shot to win.

A host of drivers that have posted Modified victories elsewhere the season will undoubtedly be in contention for victory on Saturday night. Tommy Barrrett, Jr., of Milford, MA, has won in open Modified competition at Stafford Motor Speedway. Rowan Pennink of New Egypt, PA, has multiple wins with the Modified Racing Series (MRS) as well as a win in weekly completion at Stafford.

Other MRS winners this season include Anthony Nocella of Woburn, MA, Todd Patnode of W. Swanzey, NH, and Sammy Rameau of Westminster, MA, who claimed a career-first at nearby Lee recently.

Multi-time Southern Modified champion and Hampstead, NH native Andy Seuss, now of Salisbury, NC, looks to put his bad luck in SBM competition in the rearview to win in front of the ‘hometown’ crowd.

Among those also capable of capturing a win at the Granite State’s fast quarter mile include Kirk Alexander of Swanzey, Woody Pitkat of Stafford, CT, and Richard Savary of Canton, MA. Another former Modified champion Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, CT, is slated to make his first TTOMS appearance of the year.

The full racing card includes the 125 lap Modified main event along with Late Models, Strictly Stocks, Roadrunners and Six Shooters. Racing will get underway on Saturday, July 28 with heat races for weekly divisions at 4:30pm followed by heat race action for the Tri-Track Mods. Features for all divisions will roll-off at approximately 6:00pm and will culminate with the running of 125 laps of Modified action.

Star Speedway’s Strictly Stock race winner was determined by mere feet at the checkers last week. The Late Model division has found old rivalries rekindled with the likes of former track champions Charlie Rose and Bobby Cabral vying for supremacy over newcomers and other veterans alike. The night promises to be chock full of exciting racing action.

Grandstand admission is $30 for adults, $25 for Seniors and $20 Juniors (11-16yrs). Kids under 10 are admitted free. Early bird pit passes (that includes early practice) are $55. Pit gates officially open at 11:30am with a cost of $40. Practice for the TTOMS is scheduled for 1:00pm. More information can be found at StarSpeedwayNH.com.

For more information on the Tri-Track Open Modified Series, log on to tritrackmods.com or find the series on Facebook and Twitter.